How to Make Nature-Inspired Thanksgiving Placecards
Placecards are one of the few items I go out of my way to make myself when hosting Thanksgiving. I love to delight guests with a custom placecard unique enough to take home as a party favor. All you need to make any of my favorite placecards below is a few items from your backyard and craft closet.
Simple Leaf Placecards
You don’t need much for a beautiful and natural placecard. The leaf placecard is the simplest one I make, but it still gets lots of complements. If you have colorful leaves in your yard this time of year, then this is the perfect way to show them off.
You’ll need:
- A leaf for each place setting
- Paint markers (I like Sharpie gold and silver paint markers for this)
These placecards made from leaves couldn’t be more simple. For an elegant look, choose leaves that are of similar shape and / or color. Write in cursive with a thin pointed pen.
For leaf placecards that are more casual, choose leaves of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Write with a thick pen in block letters.
Glittery Gourd Placecards
I love using the gourds I buy every holiday to jazz up my place settings. If you’re in a rush, you don’t have to even paint them!
You’ll need:
- A gourd for every person
- Glitter spray paint (I recommend Krylon Glitter Blast)
- Plain standup placecards (example: Weddingstar Plain Place Cards)
- A high quality pen
Make your placecards stand out with custom painted gourds. Paint each gourd at least a day before Thanksgiving with glitter spray paint. For a formal look, paint each gourd the same color. For a more carefree look, mix up glitter colors a bit.
Write out each name on the plain placecard, and set it next to a gourd. If you want to get extra fancy, write the names in calligraphy or cursive. Or go for a funkier look with interesting looking letters or all capitals.
Pinecone Ornament Placecards
If I have a little extra time, I love to make a placecard that’s also a holiday ornament. These pinecone ornaments can be kept super simple, or you can really decorate them up with glitter, sequins, and funky ribbons.
You’ll need:
- A pinecone for each person
- A ribbon for each person (holiday colors are great for this)
- A simple placecard for each person ( I recommend Darice 72-Count Place Cards)
- A hole punch
- A high quality pen
- Hot glue gun (optional)
- Sequins (options
- Glitter spray paint (optional)
Paint each pinecone with glitter. Or glue sequins to pinecones for extra bling. Another option is to leave the pinecones blank for a more natural look.
Punch a hole in each placecard. Write each person’s name on a place card. String a ribbon through each placecard hole, but don’t tie or secure the ribbon yet.
Tie or glue a ribbon around each pinecone, making sure the placecard is still on the ribbon. Now you should have a homemade ornament that doubles as a placecard.
